Friday, February 29, 2008

Check out this link for a new wrinkle on the everyday. I was drawn by the initial discussion of paint but there's much more. Here's an example:

"Mahadevan, who grew up in India, tells a traditional story about Krishna where mud becomes metaphor. “In Hindu mythology, Krishna is divine,” he begins. “However, because there was a prophecy that he would overthrow an evil king, his origins when he was a baby were hidden from almost everybody. So when Krishna was born, his mother surreptitiously sent him away to be brought up by a foster mother who didn’t know who he was. As in all mythologies, there were premonitions [of greatness], but growing up with his foster mother, he would go out like all children and play in the mud. One day he started to eat the mud, putting it in his mouth. And his [foster] mother, from afar, said, ‘Don’t do it.’” Krishna kept eating the mud. “Again [she] said, ‘Don’t do it,’ and yet he continued. So she came up to him, and when she opened his mouth to take out the mud, she looked—and she saw the universe"

In both climbing and art, I depend on an intuitive understanding of how materials behave and interact and this kind of science explores just that.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Cloudy breezy mid 50s this Sunday at Flagstaff. My goal was the true sit-start to RH Red Wall, a short-term project of mine. You start on two obvious crimps down and right, sitting on the ground by the little retaining wall. Bump up to the two-finger pocket, reach right to a thin razor sidepull, then reach left to the edge below the soap dish, bring the right to the pocket, bump the left to the soap dish and then do the regular RH Red Wall problem. V8-9? Not at all contrived for a change and fun climbing. The next project is yet to be decided.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

While wandering around Flag on Saturday, I saw some truly low-life graffiti on the nice little overhanging wall just northeast of Mongolian Cosmonaut. There is a V7 traverse across it that is now decorated with a wide array of puerile scrawlings. I didn't have a camera but anyone can see for themselves what's up. I'll document it when I go up there next.

While graffiti in general is pretty lame, usually the product of white suburban bad-boy wannabees, this type of vandalism is the worst. I suppose it's amazing that Flag isn't worse but this kind of attack on a public commons and a natural area is pathetic.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Well it was good to see a bunch of people at CATS trying the new problems. They were still a little too hard for their respective categories but quality routes nevertheless. We didn't get to see the finals at the Spot since Sophia wasn't feeling well.

I'm looking forward to trying the open problems at CATS and the Spot in coming weeks as well. Open 13 still stands at the top of the heap, thwarting everyone that I saw try it on Sunday (I set said problem last week and look forward to creating a few more testpieces in coming days)

It was a little disappointing seeing roving representatives from FRB interviewing nobody from CATS except Rob, despite the fact that a number of people who helped make the comp possible were there. A suggestion to Mike Brooks--get outside the usual circle that gets attention in the mags and websites.

Sadly the events were completely ignored by the local papers, a real shame since the Sports Section is the only part of the Camera that hasn't been reduced to practically nothing.

Congratulations to Paul and Ryan for stellar performances. Alex Puccio, who has to be one of the strongest boulderers around, male or female, pulled off the win in the Women's Open category. Great work!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

We checked out the competition problems at CATS last night and they're pretty good. However for the most part they are much harder than their category--there may be a lot of last minute fine tuning of some of them. Caolan and I are skating by on way too little sleep so that might be the issue also. Anyway there are some good projects, especially intermediate #7. Snow on the way tonight--When will the winter end?

I've added a new link for geographical diversity: NE Climbs--talk about winter!

Friday, February 8, 2008

New problems are going up at CATS at a feverish pace. I started setting something last night and will finish it very soon. Some very difficult problems are in place but there will be some need for modifying I'm sure.

Sophia's feeling better but we still have a lot of sleep to catch up with.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

With Sophia struggling to stay hydrated during a bad stomach virus, an extra three inches of snow, and the both of us trying to stay on top of things including puking, upset babies, there has been no time for climbing. A bit of time for painting the new walls at CATS but that's it.

So maybe in a while, once normal sleep patterns return, I'll climb something. That's it for now.